Meraki Unboxed

It’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, so it’s the perfect opportunity to talk about security fundamentals. We’re in discussion with two highly experienced Cisco security professionals who share some of their wisdom and best practices. Learn more from one of our guests in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9pkOr--wrg

We’re welcoming a return guest to the podcast: Alicia Lorenzetti, who leads the Global Ecosystem and Marketplace team here at Cisco Meraki. You'll soon understand her passion for change and innovation, and how the power of our ecosystem partners and the Meraki Marketplace solves problems for our customers.

Two monumental shifts – the move to the cloud, and the new reality of the hybrid workforce – have combined to pose an administrative challenge for IT and security. Cisco to the rescue, with a heavy sprinkling of Meraki secret sauce on top. Learn more at: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/plus-as-a-service/secure-connect.html

The challenge of raw Wi-Fi performance was solved long ago, yet high-density environments still create problems for network administrators and users. Fortunately, Cisco Meraki is on a relentless mission to identify and solve real-world challenges, as you’ll discover in this episode.

If you ask anyone why they love working at Cisco Meraki, they'll say ”the people!” In this episode, we sit down with one of those incredible Merakians. We learn about her career journey and how she balances motherhood and her enthusiasm for our employee resource group, Meraki Gives. She truly has the biggest heart, and you can hear the passion in her voice when she talks about giving back. You don't want to miss this one!

The Meraki dashboard web GUI has been right at the heart of the cloud networking revolution, simplifying the lives of IT administrators the world over. Like everything else, progress demands evolution. In this episode we discuss the next generation of the dashboard— smarter, more helpful, and ready for what comes next.

The Meraki dashboard has proven hugely popular with network administrators the world over, so it was inevitable it would evolve to support more and more Cisco technology. In this episode, we unpack recent announcements that herald an exciting new journey of expansion for the platform.

Change can be tough, but it doesn't have to be as hard as we sometimes make it. Today we sit down with Hope Galley, a 20+ year Cisco veteran who leads the Cisco Meraki Global Channel Organization. Hope shares her career journey, opens up about overcoming hurdles and learning lessons, and discusses the importance of building/creating diverse teams. She'll tell you her superpower is leading large scale transformation, and provides tips and tricks on why she's been successful.

We’re living in a time where artificial intelligence is starting to play a truly valuable role in solving problems and increasing efficiency. Meraki smart cameras can be so much more than security devices, and in this episode we learn how computer vision’s limits are only bound by our imagination.

From token ring to the cloud, Jeff Bright of Bright Systems has done it all. As a Meraki partner and Cisco Premier Integrator Partner, Jeff brings a wealth of experience and use cases to our discussion, and demonstrates how a passion for solving customer challenges has fuelled him for over 30 years.

Cisco Meraki's service provider footprint has exploded, and in this episode, we're digging into the recipe for success with Annie Shain, Director of Global Service Provider Sales. Annie brings a wealth of knowledge thanks to a 22-year career at Cisco, spending time in various leadership roles in the global service provider specialist organization, as well as employee resource groups.

Technologies like VPNs and SD-WAN have enabled the ubiquitous internet to serve as the new corporate network, largely displacing expensive private circuits. Maintaining a reliable experience means having the best possible insight into how every step from device to cloud is performing. New analytics capabilities are here to help.

Continuing our hybrid work series, we unpack some of the findings from our recent IDG survey on how others are experiencing this new working environment we find ourselves in. We’re joined by two senior leaders from Cisco Meraki to reflect on the findings, and we discuss our own experiences as employees navigate more choices. Learn more in our whitepaper: https://meraki.cisco.com/experiences/hybrid-workforce/

Hybrid working, with a mix of remote and on-site employees, is now commonplace. How do we create work experiences that connect teams and maximize productivity in this new environment? We’re in discussion with Meraki technology partner Kloudspot, a company that is tackling this challenge head-on.Learn more at kloudspot.com

Just as the devices we use for work and play keep getting more powerful, so too must the networks that connect them. Wi-Fi 6E is an extension to the Wi-Fi 6 standard that unlocks greater bandwidth and less congestion. Sunmeel Bhumkar from Meraki Product Management joins us to explain.

A 2020 study by the AnitaB.org Institute found that women make up 28.8% of the tech workforce in the US. At the current pace, it could take more than ten years for women to gain equal representation in the tech industry. Meet the women of Cisco Meraki and Visionworks of America who are challenging that projection.

Returning to the topic of sustainability, we focus on how to build a more sustainable data center with the help of Meraki technology. We discuss simple best practices that anyone can implement, to help save both power consumption and money.

Join us as we welcome Todd Nightingale, EVP/GM of Cisco’s Enterprise Networking & Cloud business. Todd shares his deep passion for networking and reflects on the growth and future of the Meraki business within Cisco. You don't want to miss this candid conversation with an amazing leader – be sure to tune in!

In the spirit of love, and Valentine's Day, we wanted to drop a little minisode to highlight a love story out of Cisco Meraki. Dominique & Alex Oryol, who have been at Meraki for over a decade, reside in the North Bay with their adorable baby boy Sammy. Let’s dive in and hear their story!

Learn how certification courses can empower you and your team with the knowledge and skills they'll need to pass the certification exam, ensuring your business gets the best return on its technology investments. We talk to Arun from the Meraki Product Enablement team, and discover his passion for training. To learn more about the course mentioned in the episode, visit: https://community.meraki.com/t5/Meraki-Certification/ct-p/cmss

Cloud management is all about solving problems at scale. In this episode we’re in conversation with a major Meraki customer that has taken full advantage of the Meraki Platform to manage vast numbers of devices across multiple customers and locations. We also discuss how the technology has supported an evolution of business processes in our changed world.

Happy New Year! We're kicking off this January with our VP of Sales in the Americas, Jen Kirkpatrick. She has 20+ years of leadership experience within the tech industry and doesn't hold back when it comes to sharing valuable insights when it comes to what she's learned throughout her career. Jen identifies as a “go to” problem solver, and during this candid conversation she provides helpful tips on how to work successfully cross-functionally and throughout different business units. You don't want to miss this real conversation with an incredibly impactful leader!

In this final episode of 2021, we’re joined by members of the Meraki Community for a look back at the year that was, and the year ahead. The projects, the wins, the challenges: 2021 has had it all. Thank you for listening to our podcast in ‘21, and we’ll be back for more in the new year!

Join us for a conversation with Julia Roquemore, a Senior Global Talent Acquisition Leader at Meraki. We dive deep into understanding the priorities of the recuriting team, getting a glimpse of the candidate journey, and learn tips on how stand out in this competitive talent market. Julia touches on what it takes to build a diverse candidate pool, and even breaks down myths about salary negotiation during the interview process!

An evolving hybrid workforce demands embracing change. Providing an in-office experience, regardless of location, is more important and accessible than ever, and in this episode we discuss how to think about technically enabling your workforce with our own Jordan Noonan and Meraki Ecosystem partner, Kisi. Learn more at https://www.getkisi.com/integrations/cisco-meraki

Troubleshooting networks efficiently means saving time and money. The tools that assist us are getting more and more sophisticated, and in this episode we talk about the latest enhancement to Meraki network troubleshooting, Root Cause Analysis, with our newest Product Manager, Nikitha Shashidhar.

In the first of a short series focusing on Meraki Experiences we take a look at how one of our Technology Partners has applied Meraki cameras to help solve real world challenges relating to people in physical spaces. We are joined by Zack Klima, founder and CEO at WaitTime, and Pravin Mahajan, Head of Solutions Marketing at Meraki who help us explore the power of experiences in IT.Learn more about WaitTime's solutions at http://thewaittimes.com

Today we're in conversation with a tenured leader at Cisco Meraki, Christy Cook Olcese. Join us for an authentic discussion - we talk about how to cultivate your personal brand, build a board of directors, and learn valuable insights about how to pivot in your career. Christy started as a product sales specialist in Texas for Public Sector, working her way up to her latest role as Director of Americas Partner Organization. She is a sharp and geniune leader who doesn't hold back on what it takes to build a successful career. 

When you start a business, you never quite know where the journey will take you. In this episode we talk to Antonio Sapienza of Bizmate, one of the earliest adopters of Meraki APIs, about the evolution of the business from Meraki reseller to Tech Partner. Bizmate's product, V-App, encompasses a wide range of solutions for various industries, and we talk through some of the use cases it supports.

The topic of sustainability has grown to dominate conversation across a wide swathe of industry, and society. With customers increasingly paying attention to how seriously their suppliers are addressing sustainability, it's vital for every business to have a position and to be driving improvements. We can all do better. This episode focuses on the importance of having a sustainability focus, and how Cisco, including Meraki, is moving in a positive direction.

Join us for a conversation with one of Cisco’s Public Sector sales leaders - Gary DePreta. He’s an engineer by trade, consultant by instinct, and cultural leader by DNA. Learn why Gary truly feels he gets to wake up every day and help governments, schools, universities/colleges, and hospitals. He dives into what gives him that spark to chase his purpose, and we learn more about the incredible culture at Cisco.

Our customers and partners always have a story to tell, and in this episode we're hearing about what it's like to manage an IT environment comprising thousands of sites. Scale has its challenges, but SCI has successfully leveraged technology from Cisco, including Meraki, to grow its business, as we'll hear from their Director of IT Security, Zac Fletcher.

A lot has happened since Meraki technology evolved beyond networking. In today's episode we're looking at ways in which our smart cameras and environmental sensors are addressing modern challenges, and changing experiences for businesses, their customers and their employees.

Join us for a conversation with Meraki's CTO - Bret Hull. He's been with the organization since 2010, and discusses the journey along with the changes and evolution of our engineering team through the years. Not only has he built a very successful engineering team in the US, but he has expanded the team globally. Bret’s story is an example of how we invest in our employees.

As offices around the world come back to life, how can we ensure they work more safely and efficiently than before? Technology is ready to help, and PlaceOS is one of the companies working at the intersection of experiences, safety and sustainability in workspaces. In this discussion with the PlaceOS CIO, we look at the Meraki and other technology that's helping ensure we return to better offices.

June is Gay PRIDE month and we can't think of a better way to celebrate than to have some amazing Meraki employees on our episode today. Join us for a discussion with Daniel Jones, Kate Nicholson and Emily Sporl, who are a part of Meraki’s Employee Resource Group - QFAM (Queers And Friends At Meraki). We’ll be discussing an array of topics including a deeper dive into our QFAM ERO and the progress of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (known as LGBTQ) efforts. Also taking time to acknowledge the darker moments and the struggle against discrimination. This conversation is impactful, powerful, and important.

Meraki VP of Marketing Rebecca Stone and VP of Sales Jason Pernell join Unboxed to discuss the dramatic pace of global transformation in digital technology, why business leaders need to embrace the changes that are coming, and how the upcoming Meraki Network event will set them up to thrive in the future hi-tech economy. Register for the Meraki Network, happening on June 16th: https://events.meraki.net/merakinetworkevent

Jessica Gilbert (Meraki's head of Diversity and Collaboration) will take us through a conversation about Meraki's D&I efforts and how they play into Cisco's larger story. You'll learn more about our strategic partnerships, how to think more intentionally about inclusive behaviors, and you'll walk away with actionable steps to create a more inclusive team.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Jenna Linskens, Director of Learning & Innovative Technology of Ithaca College, on lessons learned in the last 14 months in higher education. We hope you've enjoyed the first 50 episodes of Meraki Unboxed. Please keep your episode ideas and feedback coming by messaging our host on Twitter: @merakisimon or on the Meraki Community: community.meraki.com

Seemingly every industry is going through a technology based transformation, and Financial Services are no exception. In this episode we discuss what specific trends are shaping the new financial services world, and how Meraki and Cisco technology are playing their part.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Cisco Canada President Shannon Leininger. March is 'Women's History Month' - and Shannon delivers a powerful message about what it means to truly find purpose in the work you do. She's an absolute master at finding what fuels her, and allowing that to pour over into the work she does everyday. She opens up about the power of vulnerability, discusses the importance of transparency, and gives us all an opportunity to create a more inclusive environment through the power of curiosity!

Join us for a fascinating discussion with IDC Research Director Dr William Lee, who takes us on a journey through our evolving technology landscape, and how we, as humans, are adapting to the changed world around us. This exploration into IT trends touches on many areas we know well, and provokes us to think about how we can use technology to help us confidently move ahead.

We've come a long way from the days of working in the office with the servers in a room next door. Today we're working from anywhere and everywhere, and our servers have been fragmented into myriad cloud based applications, also located anywhere and everywhere. This presents a challenge for IT teams who are trying to provide secure, authorized access to network resources. SASE, pronounced 'sassy', takes on this challenge, and in this episode we introduce the concept, explaining why it's so relevant in our new normal.

Today we're in conversation with Denise Thomas, the Chief Operating Officer at Meraki, with a deep dive into her career, how she landed at Meraki, and discussing why diversity and inclusion are deeply important to Meraki Values, and our framework as an organization. February is Black History Month - we talk about our amazing employee resource group called 'Connected Black Professionals' and why groups like these are so important to our company DNA.

Feeling entrepreneurial? Interested in running a Managed Service business? In this episode we talk to someone who walked that path and built something special, leveraging the Meraki Platform. Our guest is a fan of the podcast who reached out with this episode idea. Perhaps you'll be next? Learn more at https://www.boundlessdigital.com/

New for 2021, we're starting a series of occasional episodes focused on a specific industry, looking at some of the trends, challenges and technology use cases we see in those industries. To kick off, we're starting with the world of manufacturing, an industry experiencing perhaps its biggest change since the industrial revolution.

Happy New Year! We're kicking off with something special. Holly Dowling is an Inspirational Thought Leader. She has infused her over 20 years of extensive management and leadership experience with her passion for inspiring others to discover their untapped potential and brilliance. Today we sit down with Holly and explore her secrets to untapping your potential, we explore staying connected in this virtual world, and how to create an inclusive work environment.

Here we are at the end of 2020. This is a year we'll probably never forget, as much as might like to. In this final episode of 2020 we invite three guests from the Meraki Community to share their reflections on this crazy year, and look ahead to a new year and new projects. Thank you for listening to Meraki Unboxed in 2020. Stay safe and we'll see you back here soon! community.meraki.com

2020 has challenged us all in many ways, and although many aspects of our lives have been disrupted this year, our networks have kept on going and have never been a more valuable resource. Some things never change, and networks need maintaining and refreshing, even when there are practical challenges in the way. In this episode we discuss some of the dynamics around maintaining healthy networks with a special guest with many years of frontline experience, and also the product marketing lead for Meraki switches.

Computer vision has enormous potential to help us see what's important in the world around us, without the need to be physically present. The Meraki MV Smart Camera opens the door to computer vision, especially thanks to its APIs, which allow developers to build custom applications that can exploit the camera's full abilities. One company that's done this particularly well is Everyangle, and in this episode we get into a fascinating discussion about the potential for the technology, as well as some of Everyangle's customer solutions.